Recommendation on bikes.

[fossala]

When people want a road bike and come on here, why do people recommend racing bikes? For the general public (non-racers) these carbon fiber racing bikes are not what is needed. Everyone has jumped on the racing bandwaggon and thinking that that extra 1kg will make you slow. Racing bikes original pushed bike development for good, now I fear this is not the case.

Wheels being a good example, why is anyone that isn't in a race not using 32/36 spoke wheels? Saddles being another, I see commuters on carbon fiber slithers, this can't be good for day to day riding.

 

[rb58]

Not all carbon bikes are racing machines surely? By the same token why do some people buy sports cars when they never go near a track?

 

[fossala]

Not all carbon bikes are racing machines surely? By the same token why do some people buy sports cars when they never go near a track?

I wasn't saying all carbon bikes are bad. I was saying that racing bikes aren't the best tool for commuting/touring/audax anything other than racing/being a speed junky (even though I clocked 51.8mph the other day on my croix de fer). As for racing cars, they are nobbers as well.

 

[Phixion]

I'd much rather have comfort over performance. Especially for the kind of riding I do.

 

[Accy cyclist]

With nothing but hills around here it's almost impossible to cycle on anything other than a road or an audax bike.The Leeds to Liverpool canal is about the flattest bit which is ok if you like going about 7mph! I have an aluminium road bike and an aluminium/carbon audax bike, both have a narrow saddle and drop handlebars(obviously)and i'd say that they're as comfy as any mountain,hybrid or shopping bike i've tried!
Over the years i've found that you have to play your part as much as the bike in making your ride/journey as comfy as possible.

 

[biggs682]

@fossala i use racing bikes on a daily basis for my commute to work , i think more the issue is some new cyclist go out and spend huge amounts of money on a bike only to find like you mention its not ideal for a daily commuting machine normally .

as for carbon i have been using one for the last few weeks ok its not a new one but must admit i do like it but it does not ride the same as a good old bike

 

[Pale Rider]

When people want a road bike and come on here, why do people recommend racing bikes?

Probably because a lot of people - me included - don't understand the difference.

 

[lejogger]

Because maybe speed and performance, as well as trends and fashion are just as important to some people as comfort and practicality.

Just because you commute to work on a bike doesn't mean you only want that bike for commuting. Many new riders move on to weekend riding, then club riding and sometimes racing. I've done all those things on the same bike.

When buying a car 20 years ago, alloy wheels were a bolt on luxury passed down from the racetrack for drivers who wanted to have a nicer looking car. Now they're commonplace, but arguably still a much more practical wheel than something steel with a plastic cap.

In the same way, most road bikes now come with a lower spoke count wheel, bladed spokes, deeper section rims etc because that's the fashion passed down from the racing world. If you're going to be going out on a club run you'll probably feel the benefit from that wheel, plus you'll get more admiring nods from your club mates. As wrong as many may think this is, acceptance, belonging, camaraderie and fitting in is a part of cycling for many.

Plus every single one of us is different. That's why there are many styles of bike for different individuals, not just for different occasions of riding. Some like to race on their commute. Strava has helped to breed this new kind of rider that benefits from lighter, aggressive set ups.
And while you may pour scorn over someone racing past others trying to obtain a KOM on the way to work, as long as it's done safely I very much support anything that makes someone wake up and feel excited about cycling rather than driving their car.

As an aside, some very fit and flexible riders are capable of finding comfort on any racing setup.

Although we all know that a bike isn't just a bike... to a large extent a bike IS just a bike. They're incredibly versatile and multi-functional. Setups can be adjusted for different purposes, wheels can be changed, racks and guards can be added - whether you have eyelets in a steel frame, or p clips or skewer adapters on a carbon frame.

What we're all after essentially is value for money, something that we enjoy looking at and riding on, and something that fulfils our requirements on the road, track, or trail.

I don't have the money, time or inclination to create one right now, although it's possibly a project for later in life, but I'm very much an advocate of the 'one bike for all occasions'. I don't think that is encapsulated better than this article: http://www.cyclingweekly.co.uk/news/latest/538831/andy-wilkinson-s-dolan-time-trial-bike.html

So in summary, perhaps there is a responsibility to question an OP on their riding intentions a little more thoroughly, but the problem is that so many of us use such a wide variety of styles of bike and set up for such a wide variety of purposes that recommendations that seem very odd to some will be perfectly viable to others.

 

[VamP]

Because maybe speed and performance, as well as trends and fashion are just as important to some people as comfort and practicality.

Just because you commute to work on a bike doesn't mean you only want that bike for commuting. Many new riders move on to weekend riding, then club riding and sometimes racing. I've done all those things on the same bike.

When buying a car 20 years ago, alloy wheels were a bolt on luxury passed down from the racetrack for drivers who wanted to have a nicer looking car. Now they're commonplace, but arguably still a much more practical wheel than something steel with a plastic cap.

In the same way, most road bikes now come with a lower spoke count wheel, bladed spokes, deeper section rims etc because that's the fashion passed down from the racing world. If you're going to be going out on a club run you'll probably feel the benefit from that wheel, plus you'll get more admiring nods from your club mates. As wrong as many may think this is, acceptance, belonging, camaraderie and fitting in is a part of cycling for many.

Plus every single one of us is different. That's why there are many styles of bike for different individuals, not just for different occasions of riding. Some like to race on their commute. Strava has helped to breed this new kind of rider that benefits from lighter, aggressive set ups.
And while you may pour scorn over someone racing past others trying to obtain a KOM on the way to work, as long as it's done safely I very much support anything that makes someone wake up and feel excited about cycling rather than driving their car.

As an aside, some very fit and flexible riders are capable of finding comfort on any racing setup.

Although we all know that a bike isn't just a bike... to a large extent a bike IS just a bike. They're incredibly versatile and multi-functional. Setups can be adjusted for different purposes, wheels can be changed, racks and guards can be added - whether you have eyelets in a steel frame, or p clips or skewer adapters on a carbon frame.

What we're all after essentially is value for money, something that we enjoy looking at and riding on, and something that fulfils our requirements on the road, track, or trail.

I don't have the money, time or inclination to create one right now, although it's possibly a project for later in life, but I'm very much an advocate of the 'one bike for all occasions'. I don't think that is encapsulated better than this article: http://www.cyclingweekly.co.uk/news/latest/538831/andy-wilkinson-s-dolan-time-trial-bike.html

So in summary, perhaps there is a responsibility to question an OP on their riding intentions a little more thoroughly, but the problem is that so many of us use such a wide variety of styles of bike and set up for such a wide variety of purposes that recommendations that seem very odd to some will be perfectly viable to others.

That Andy Wilkinson bike is the dog's nuts! Love it.

 

[vickster]

I try to recommend a bike that is the 'best' (based on what I have read or ridden) the poster can get for his / her budget and that will meet their needs and wishes - i.e. can take a rack that will take the required weight, mudguards, gears, sizing etc.

I will admit that I know nothing much about steel / vintage bikes so they wouldn't be top of mind for me

Black bikes (and especially matt black) are an anathema to me so I would be unlikely to suggest one!

 

[lejogger]

That Andy Wilkinson bike is the dog's nuts! Love it.

It's fantastic isn't it?!

It's completely about functionality and performance, but not just performance in TTs, it's the bike he tours on and cycles to work on everyday.

Show that to your average 'weekend warrior in Lycra' and they probably couldn't even comprehend how someone could be capable of propelling it at those sort of speeds.

MTB rear mech, spds, triple chainring, huge clearances, yet that 50 mile TT he did last year (bearing in mind he's nearly 50 too) was over a longer distance, and at a faster average speed than Wiggo's gold medal winning Olympic TT.

The mind boggles.

 

[SpokeyDokey]

When people want a road bike and come on here, why do people recommend racing bikes? For the general public (non-racers) these carbon fiber racing bikes are not what is needed. Everyone has jumped on the racing bandwaggon and thinking that that extra 1kg will make you slow. Racing bikes original pushed bike development for good, now I fear this is not the case.

Wheels being a good example, why is anyone that isn't in a race not using 32/36 spoke wheels? Saddles being another, I see commuters on carbon fiber slithers, this can't be good for day to day riding.

I picked up on this in the other thread so had a look here.

I think you make a fair point and as already mentioned by lejogger maybe an OP's requirements should be more closely questioned before suggestions are made. Ditto those asking questions maybe need to be more specific although often Newbies do not really know what to ask in the first place - Catch 22.

I think that what tends to happen when answering is that people who like their own bike tend to suggest their own bike as the answer to everyone else's prayers which is obviously not going to be the case.

Re road bikes. If you are new to this sport then a road bike is a road bike - it's only when (and if) you start to dig around that you realise that there is a multiplicity of choice within that broad remit and that many of those choices will not be right for every individual.

I agree totally with you on bike and component choice being slightly off base at times. It's the consumer society we live in and the way the clever marketeers spin the plates that causes this. People want to be seen with 'trick' stuff and the latest must haves even if it doesn't really fulfill a direct need for them.

As an analogy I look to the automotive world. I have friends with some very nice cars and at least two constantly witter on about their M3 and AMG Merc'; about their handling, weight distribution, torque curves etc and neither can drive for toffee. In my whole life I have only met 3 people who can properly drive these cars. Two raced go-karts at a high level and went on to be track-day hosts and one (still is) a police instructor - go out on a track day session with this lady and your male ego will come under sever pressure. All 3 have similar cars and can really drive them safe and well. Neither of my friends can drive to this standard and do not need these specific cars - they would've been much better served by models further down the range and less sport focused. They just had to have the bells and whistles range toppers.

As far as I can see from my forum-ing their is often a lot of emphasis on bikes that are very light, have sharp handling and that enable you to get head down bum up. This is great for young, supple, light riders whose sole purpose in life is to smash Strava PB's - not knocking this btw; each to their own.

But for many people who are not lean, less supple, less manic about performance their needs and requirements are very different.

When I first set out to buy a bike I got sucked into looking at the wrong bike for me. I tried bikes like a carbon Synapse as I had read it was comfortable and a CAAD 10 as it handled well. Sounded good to me but the reality was that the former was *loody uncomfortable on my native rough lanes and the latter scarily skittish. As far as I was concerned they were poor bikes.

After some serious sense was knocked into me by a friend and good LBS I ended up with a nice CX bike. Some would say it's a stodgy handler, some would say it's heavy, some would say the stem cannot be slammed down so that my nose is a millimetre off the front tyre but to me it is a fantastic bike.

It handles predictably in a go exactly where I want it way, it's 32mm tyres soak up the drossy roads where I live and in 650 miles to date have not punctured once and it is comfortable. The latter being important as if it wasn't a comfy ride I'm sure it would fall into disuse. Is it light? Maybe not if you are used to footling around on a Dogma but to me and any of my friends/family who have lifted it up (why do people always do that?) and who are not cyclists the thing (TCX1) is astonishingly light. In short it is perfect for me.

I also agree with you re: wheels. Mine are 32h and a local rider who I know quite well said that they needed to go asap as a reduced spoke count would help reduce weight. He also said they would look better!!! Wow!

I have TRP CX9 brakes on my bike and they need a very close block to rim distance (1-2mm) to work well. In 650 miles of pot-holed rough roads, fire-trails, some Green Lanes and woodland circuits my 'heavy' spoke laden wheels have not need adjusting once. I'd say that for me they are damn good wheels.

I'd go so far to say that the vast majority of people who take up cycling absolutely do not need a performance orientated road bike but actually need a more comfort orientated bike albeit with maybe less kudos.

I don't see a lot of that advice being given either on forums or in the (5) bike shops I visited when purchasing my bike.

 

[Mr Haematocrit]

.Perhaps many people would rather have sports bikes than hybrids with shopping baskets on the front because its a change from their normal existence, its a little more exciting and enjoyable.
I believe its the same reason why more people aspire to Porsche and Ferrari's than practical vehicles like Nissan people carriers and Skoda estates
What I need and what I want is not always the same thing.

I have a practical and sensible bike, and its boring as hell, I have no interest in riding it what so ever.. the bike does everything I need without compromise, yet I choose to leave it at home and ride something compromised which makes me smile most of the time.

 

[youngoldbloke]

Fashion and marketing. Look at the thousands and thousands of 'mountain' bikes sold to 'the general public' in the past. Totally unsuited to everyday use.

 

[jowwy]

i get a little annoyed when racing snakes keep telling people that they don't need triples as a compact will do....but some compacts have such huge jumps in gear ratios and you can't always find that nice cruising gear....

also they don't live in bl**dy wales, where we have loads and loads and loads of damn hills were ever we ride

the triple gives me nice cruising gears in the middle 39 ring and some lovely, lovely spinny gears in the lower 30 ring for going up long hill climbs